Fulfil Your Campaign Promise To Reduce Tuition Fees, Osun Students Task Adeleke

Students of tertiary institutions in Osun State have urged Governor Ademola Adeleke to fulfill his campaign promise to reduce tuition fees charged by state-owned tertiary institutions.

The students, under the umbrella of the National Association of University Students (NAUS), said Adeleke, in the build-up to the 2022 gubernatorial election, made a promise to reduce the amount paid by the students.

NAUS, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Olayinka Popoola, said high tuition fees in the State tertiary institutions is a pressing concern that affects the accessibility of education to many students, noting that many of them have dropped out.

Popoola said reducing the tuition fees would not only alleviate the financial burden on students and their families but also increase access to education.

A copy of the statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday reads partly: “We urge Governor Adeleke to significantly make use of this opportunity to fulfil his campaign promises related to students’ welfare and education by providing access to quality education, ensuring adequate resources for schools, supporting teachers, providing scholarships opportunities to students and creating a safer and conducive learning environment, all of which form essential aspects of his campaign promises. 

“As advocates for students’ welfare, it is our responsibility to hold leaders accountable and push for policies that prioritise education and the well-being of students. 

“We, therefore, bring the case of Universities in Osun State, including the prestigious institutions like Osun State University and the University of Ilesa, who are currently facing unprecedented challenges that threaten their ability to deliver quality education, especially in the area of inadequate funding; dilapidated infrastructure, limited academic resources, vis-a-vis a decline in the overall quality of education. 

“In the build-up to the 2022 gubernatorial election in Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke made a significant promise to the people of the state: to reduce the exorbitant school fees charged by state-owned tertiary institutions.

“The issue of high tuition fees in Osun State tertiary institutions is a pressing concern that affects the accessibility of education to many deserving students. The impact of high tuition fees on students and their families cannot be overstated. Many students are forced to drop out of school or defer their studies due to financial constraints. 

“This does not only hampers their educational aspirations but also deprives the state of the potential contributions these individuals could make to its development.  

“Reducing school fees in state-owned tertiary institutions would not only alleviate the financial burden on students and their families but also increase access to education and improve the overall quality of the educational system in Osun State.”

The students’ leadership berated the incessant raid and invasion of school campus by different security agencies and illegal arrest of students.

NAUS called on necessary quarters and the state government to intervene as a matter of urgency to avoid breakdown of law and order on school campuses.

“There has been a troubling trend of security agencies and their personnel invading university campuses under the guise of maintaining law and order, only to harass and arrest students without any formal notice or due process.

“Such behaviour does not only infringes upon the rights of students but also erodes the trust between the security agencies and the community they are supposed to serve. 

“The government are therefore implore to work on collaboration with university authorities to address security concerns in a manner that respects the rights and dignity of all individuals involved.”